SIERRA SCOOP
November 17, 2023
FROM FOERSTER'S DESK
I am so thankful to be the leader of this truly amazing community! I wish you and your family a safe, relaxing, and gratitude filled week.
Our next Scoop will be Friday, Dec. 1 🤩
Attendance Works!
A growing body of research is revealing the prevalence of chronic absence and its critical role in student achievement. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves.
Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school and college!
Help your child succeed in school by building the habit of good attendance early!
Choice Enrollment Info Night at Oberon Middle!
If you are a potential new student or an incoming middle school family, join us to learn about Oberon Middle School.
Future Viking Night is Thursday, November 30 from 6 - 7:15 PM.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) at Sierra
November is National Gratitude Month
Making gratitude a habit not only reminds us of all the good in our lives, but can also help
our children be physically, psychologically and socially healthy. Practicing gratitude helps
children improve their mood and supports them with being more kind and more helpful. Click on the image below to access several resources to support practicing gratitude at home.
OFFICE INFORMATION
SIERRA SPIRIT WEAR is now available. T-shirt order deadline correction - The store will be "open" until 11/19. Apparel will be delivered 12/15. Click here to access the store.
LEGO CLUB Winter 2024 - K-1 Registration
LEGO CLUB Winter 2024 - 2-5 Registration
IS YOUR CHILD GOING TO BE ABSENT OR LATE?? PLEASE CALL THE ATTENDANCE LINE AT 303-982-0819 - option 1. DO NOT EMAIL SYLVIA REGARDING THE ABSENCE. SHE MAY NOT GET THE MESSAGE PRIOR TO DOING ATTENDENCE. THANK YOU!
November 20-24 - No School Thanksgiving Break
November 28 - Lockdown Drill (see more info below)
December 6 - 1st Grade Performance (5:15pm Sierra gym); 3rd Grade Performance (6:00pm Sierra gym)
December 7 - Vision and Hearing
December 8 - Modified Contact Day
December 13 - Coffee with T & B - Mental Health w/ Mrs. VanderStek and Dr. McConnelle
December 14 - Handbell and Choir Performance (5:30pm Sierra gym)
December 15 - ROAR Day, Winter Wonderland
December 20 -January 5 No School Winter Break
January 8 - Students Return
LOCKDOWN DRILL
On the morning of Tuesday November 28, at 8:15am Sierra Elementary will be conducting a lockdown drill with the assistance of Jeffco security and local law enforcement. The drill is usually about 45 minutes long from start to finish. Please plan ahead if you need to pick up/drop off your child/an item at Sierra, as there is no access to students or adults during a lockdown drill. All Jeffco schools use the Standard Response Protocol (click here to see Jeffco’s Standard Response Protocol), which teachers have reviewed and practiced with their students. It is important for students to know what to do in their classrooms if a lockdown is called.
Here is a video that we will be sharing with staff and students a little closer to the lockdown drill. We wanted you to see it as questions might come up at home. Grades K-5 Student Video (prek will watch the video as well).
ORIGINAL WORKS
All Original Works orders are due by Monday, November 20th. Information was sent home last week in Friday folders on how to order. Thank so much for supporting the Sierra Arts Department!
DID YOU KNOW?
Lunch With Your Student
We welcome families to come and enjoy lunch and eat in the cafeteria with their student(s) during student lunch time. Please remember DO NOT bring in or share food with other students regardless of the circumstance. Also, please ensure you follow and model ROAR expectations and adult directions while in the cafeteria. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
Messages for Students
If you need to get a message to your student during the school day, please call the office to do so. The office has systems in place to get messages to students before the end of the school day. If you contact a teacher, there is a good chance the message will not get to the student for a variety of reasons (teachers might not check their email, we could have a tech glitch, teacher could have a sub, etc).
Modified Contact Day
Modified contact days are scheduled for teachers to have one-on-one time to test students in reading. Teachers use this data, along with other pieces of information, to set up reading groups and adjust instruction for all students. It is not a full day of school, so lunch will not be served and buses will not run.
Grade Level Door Changes
Over the last two weeks, Kindergarten and 2nd grade made entrance and exit door changes. Kindergarten now enters and exits via the cafeteria and 2nd grade now enters and exits with the 1st grade in the courtyard. This helped alleviate the number of students entering and exiting the South door and subsequent hallway congestion.
Healthy Habits for Families
Jeffco has provided a variety of resources for families to help establish healthy habits. Explore the Healthy Habits for Families page and see what your family might try.
Please ensure that you read through the Sierra Student-Family Handbook for additional school information.
PTA PARTICULARS
Reflections Art Contest winners!
The results are IN! This year we received a total of 20 submissions from Sierra artists, covering each of the 6 categories. (That’s more than double the number of submissions from last year!) It was so inspiring to see so many artistic takes on the theme of “I am hopeful because…” We saw sunsets, Family trees, pets, endangered species, a short story, lego stop motion, a ribbon dance, and much more! Our judges have reviewed all of the submissions and the PTA is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Reflections Art Contest:
Visual Arts, primary division:
1st place: Harper DeArmond
2nd place: Kennedy Doone
3rd place: Louisa Ciecior
Visual Arts, intermediate division: Sophie Trudel
Photography, primary division: Samantha Steelman
Film Production, primary division: Royce Whittemore
Literature, primary division: Ellie Ward-Bailey
Music Composition, intermediate division: Jillian Martens
Dance composition, intermediate division: Kira Davis
We will have a celebration for all of our artists, their families, and judges after Thanksgiving Break (more details to follow). Thank you to everyone who participated this year (and for all the parents, guardians, and volunteers who supported them along the way.) Congratulations Artists!
Holiday Clothing Drive for our Sister School - Lumberg Elementary
Similar to what we did last year, we will be collecting cold weather clothing for the students of our adopted sister school, Lumberg Elementary. Lumberg Elementary is a high needs Title 1 school in the Jeffco school district and their Principal, Lindsay Petty, is also a Sierra parent. We are so excited to help support the needs of their community during the holiday season.
We will be collecting NEW clothing donations for Lumberg students from December 4th-19th. Please donate items that are the size your student's age group would wear (this is to ensure we get a wide range of sizes).
Below is a list of items we are collecting:
- Gloves/Mittens
- Scarves
- Hat
- Socks
- Boots
- Snow Pants
- Coat
- Underwear
More details will be provided after the Thanksgiving break.
Sierra Cares
In case you didn't know we also take care of our community here at home.
Sierra Cares is a PTA Committee made of Sierra parents who offer practical help and support to Sierra families in need. Specifically when a parent or caregiver of a Sierra student is impacted. We work with staff and support at Sierra to lend a helping hand. If you have any needs, or know of someone who does, we want to hear from you. You can contact us at SierraCares@SierraPTAArvada.org
SIERRA ELEMENTRY
Email: tennille.foerster@jeffco.k12.co.us
Website: sierraelementary.net
Location: 7771 Oak Street, Arvada, CO, USA
Phone: (303)982-0821
Facebook: facebook.com/sierraelementary